Title: Song Beneath The Song
Challenge: Shuffle challenge by Kore-of-Myth.
Pairing: Lily/James
Length: One-shot in a couple parts.
Rating: M, to be safe considering the first one is about sex. Nothing graphic, I promise!
Word Count: 1362, including song lyrics.
Summary: Seven glimpses into a relationship so special you can't define it. Seven glimpses into a love so strong it survived almost everything. Seven songs from a shuffled list that in some way connect to Lily and James Potter, the couple that changed everything.
Author's Notes: This is the shuffle challenge which was set by Kore-of-Myth. I will have seven songs on shuffle, and without cheating and changing the song, I'll write a drabble based on the song. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. JKR owns everything.
-
'And began to speak to me
But you stopped yourself and kissed me
And I grabbed your lips and told you:
I know, I know, I know.
I feel the same as you
And everyday, it's changed since then
In every way, I've changed since then'
-The First Five Times, Stars
Sex changes everything.
It's true of every relationship, of every couple. But love changes everything too. And Lily learned this one rainy night.
It was in James's apartment- sex was fairly new to her and James. And all of a sudden, he said it. The three words that changed their relationship forever. So sex does change everything, in scary and new ways. Lily discovered a lot about herself, and about James as well. But what made their relationship so different and new and exciting and beautiful was love. The love that would change the world, or at least change Lily's. Love made Lily see that not all of the world was rotten and scary. There was some good in it. And that good was James, and the rainy days they spent inside, falling in love.
X
'Well didn't I think you would always love me
And didn't I want you to take care of me baby
Well that ain't happenin'…
So I'm officially leavin'…
I'm gone'
-Chicago, Kate Voegele
'You don't have to leave.'
Those five words almost changed her mind. But James had hurt her, and so she was leaving. It was done, they were done. She had thought he would always love her and take care of her, but she was learning that she needed to take care of herself first. So she was catching a train back home, where she would reconnect with old friends and with the Old Lily. The girl who didn't date James Potter or get amazing grades.
The thing was that Lily still loved James, and leaving him was the hardest thing she had to do, ever. But seeing him, kissing a girl in the corner of a bar because 'he was drunk', Lily knew it was done. In a year and half, jams would come to her, and show her he had changed, as he did at Hogwarts the year before.
For now, Lily was leaving. Lily was being Lily and doing what she was best at.
Redefining ideas about everything, including James Potter's ideas on dating and romance.
'Yes James. I have to leave.'
X
'To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,
You turn every head but you don't see me.'
-Strange and Beautiful, Aqualung
He had watched her, he had put himself in her shoes, he had done everything to find out who Lily Evans was. For a long time, James hadn't realized just how perfect Lily Evans was. But really, she was strange and beautiful.
She got up before the sun. She went to bed later than the sunset. She ate dry toast and drank lots of tea. She had a beautiful smile. Her hair wasn't the shade of red he had always thought it was, it had pieces of auburn and brown and every color in a fading sun. Her eyes had every color green in them, and when she looked at him he was blinded by her.
And yet, she refused to see that they'd be perfect together.
He was determined, this year, to make her see that they were destined to be together. No matter how hard he had to work, no matter how much he had to do, she would realize that she needed him.
James Potter had a goal, and this year, he would fulfill it.
X
'I'm on fire and now I think I'm ready to bust a move
Check it out I'm rocking steady
Go!'
-The future freaks me out, Motion City Soundtrack
James Potter was ready to make her see. He was so ready.
He was nauseous and might be sick.
He couldn't dance- who was he kidding.
Lily was gorgeous on the dance floor. She was graceful and elegant- classic and put-together.
James was a spaz.
He would knock her teeth out, he would spill pumpkin juice, he would break his leg.
He could do this- right.
Why had Dumbledore decided to make him head boy? Why had the teachers decided that the heads had to dance together? Why did the world hate him so much?
Lily grabbed him and they went out to the dance floor and she looked at him and smiled.
'It's going to be okay, James. You can do this.'
The smile was all he needed. The kind words just sent a rush of blood to his head.
They were dancing- they were smiling- they were chatting- he was doing this!
And then he tripped, and knocked her teeth out and spilled pumpkin juice and broke his leg.
Only, that didn't happen. He and Lily danced, and then danced again, and he even got a smile.
Thank god for Dumbledore, and the teachers, and the world.
X
Laisse-moi boire mon café
Laisse-moi boire mon café, yeah
Let me drink my coffee
Let me drink my coffee, yeah
-Mon Café (The Coffee Song), Axelle Red
Breakfast was Lily's quiet time. Her happy time, her her-time.
And James was interrupting.
The first coffee of the morning was an experience that Lily could never get enough of. She would make coffee the muggle way, and wait for it to brew with a smile on her face. And she would sit in her tiny kitchen; her dirty tiny cheap kitchen, and she was happy.
James didn't understand, so he'd make the coffee, or sit with her.
With time, he'd learn to leave her alone in the mornings and let her make the coffee.
For now, Lily had to deal with him, invading on her quiet time.
'James, just let me drink my coffee, okay?'
Coffee was a religious experience for Lily. Perfectly brewed, in the same mug every morning. Different kitchens, fine. Different surroundings, fine. Different people, fine. Different coffee? Apocalypse.
He left, and Lily drank her coffee.
X
Baby will you be my corona and lime.
And I will be your main squeeze.
-Corona and Lime, Shwayze
James had dated a lot of girls in his life, but none had ever been as perfect for him as Lily Evans.
He had constantly compared every girl he dated to Lily, and now that he had the real thing, he was even more amazing.
Girl #1- not as unique as Lily.
Girl #2- not as smart.
Girl #3- not as beautiful.
And so it went.
But dating Lily was a whole different experience. He had dated heiresses, billionaires, trust fund girls, self-made girls, older women, younger girls, every girl. And none of them had ever been like this.
Lily was perfect. They went together like cold days and Butterbeer, chocolate and Remus, Sirius and girls, Corona and lime.
X
'And smile real wide for the pa-pa-pa-pa-paparazzi
pa-pa-pa-pa-paparazzi everywhere
Hear hear! Now you're famous
Do you know the price you pay?'
-Smile For the Paparazzi, Cobra Starship
James was well known in the wizarding world, and thanks to that, Lily found herself hounded by wizarding paparazzi when their relationship came out.
They hounded her, day and night. In her car (she was in a muggle car and they still managed to follow her!), when she was in Diagon Alley, in the supermarket, all the way back to the house in Godric's Hollow.
Lily was so sick of it.
'James, this needs to end.'
'Our relationship?! I thought we were happy.'
'No, not you. I love you. The paparazzi- these people, hounding me for an interview.'
'Once you submit, they'll leave you alone.'
…
'So, Ms. Evans. Is that going to be Mrs. Potter soon?'
Lily winced at the obviousness of the question.
'I'm too young to be married.'
Imagine the surprise of the wizarding world and every reader of Witch Weekly when Lily was seen sporting an engagement ring the very next week.
James Potter always loved proving people wrong, especially Lily.
X
Author's Note: so that's the shuffle challenge. Hope you enjoyed it!